word to the wise

So just f.y.i. don't crush up chile and then itch your eye. It burns.

what up

I leave my family in 5 days to go visit my best friend. SO EXCITED!! It will be a week of fun I tell you what. And, Aaron is going to Seattle to visit his mom so we are going to get coffee or something. I really like getting my separate worlds to come together. It is really cool. I am getting a little nervous about leaving though. I don't want to loose any of my spanish and my sisters birthday is the day after we leave. She is going to be 17. Bummer.

My week and a half with my family has been wonderful. Each day is better and better. Although in the am... I cannot understand anything and they just talk to me and I have them repeat like 3 times. It is amusing to some extent. We have been focusing on migration a lot and wow, look in the media it is hot. I want to read everything about it but time seems to escape from me here.

This weekend was a great weekend. We didn't have class on friday.. nice! So some of us went out on Thursday to this club. Okay so let me start off with that we showed up BEFORE the club was even OPEN. okay nerds r' us. We were under the impression, from tinas brother, that it was the hottest place to go and there was going to be this huge long line. WRONG. We were the only ones in the club for an hour and a half. Go ahead... laugh... I am. haha.. it ended up being a fun time and Friday I slept most of the day. Saturday, Haley, Aaron and I went with our moms to go give food to the migrants that have been caught and tossed back across. That was a powerful experience. We saw the border from the top of a hill, it was the steal wall (2 inches thick) and then there were these huge long gaps every so often. Talk about a mixed signal. And really, our economy would go down the tubes if we didn't have migrants working. But that's another issue. After that we went across for a couple hours just looking and walking around and noticing how most of the plates are from Sonora and Nogales, Arizona wouldn't exisit if it wasn't for the Mexicans. Sunday was a nice day. My family and Haley went to the flee market, my brothers house, the park, and to get some groceries for lunch, then headed home for lunch. YUM! It was a good time. I was really tired after but it was a good day. Monday morning, my mom made me medudo (it's like liver or some kind of intestine) ;yea, not much of a fan. The texture weirds me out but it didn't really taste that bad. And also, I think I might have just werided myself out. But whatevs. Now I can say I tasted it.

Well I have to get going... spanish is calling my name... Until next time...

My familia es bueno! Yo no estoy nervoisa y es mejor.

So, Mexico is awesome! I was really nervous about moving into the home-stays but it is going really well. I moved in on Friday the 17 of March and I am already learning so much! Nice! They are sooo sweet! Friday, I was really nervous and I came into the house and they were all staring at me and wanting me to talk but I was so nervous I didn’t know what or how to say anything so I just told them I was tired so I could hide in my room.

Saturday, was a lot better. I had to give myself a pep-talk before going out to breakfast though…haha... I did better and I can tell each day I am getting better. It is hard in classes though b/c we talk about things that I have a hard time in English let a lone in Spanish…. So anyways, Saturday I went shopping with Marisela and her fiancé on the AZ side of the border for a present for a quién cenara that they were going to. It was really interesting to see how money escapes Mexico. After that we watched Room Raiders en Español, which was very interesting. Susana and I then went up the street to visit with Vanessa and Aaron and Tina was there so that was fun. We talked about our morning and made plans to go out that night with everyone. So that night, Vanessa, her boyfriend, Tina and her sister, Aaron, Susana, and me went out to coffee then rented movies and watched them. That was a lot of fun.

Sunday was a lazy day for my house. IT SNOWED!!! I was sooo cold; I had about 5 layers on! Haha! Aaron said it got to 5 below last night! So we just stayed in and ate warm food, read, slept, did some homework, watched some TV and went to bed. It was nice to relax and just get the feel of everything.

Monday was a stressful day. I got up and out and to school fine but once I got to school the stress came. We had Liberation Theology in Spanish. That was hard. And I was really interested in the subject matter, which was mujerista theology, but I could barely understand what was going on so it was a little bit of a disappointment. After that we had to get to Spanish class which took forever because there was sooo much traffic. Not many places had school today b/c of a holiday for Benito Juarez and tomorrow they are off too. Nice huh? I wish we did too... haha… Well, when we went to Spanish we were just talking about little things then we all of a sudden started talking about external debt. WHAT IN THE WORLD!?! I had no idea what it was in ENGLISH, how am I suppose to know what it is in SPANISH!?! Well, I had a break down. I wasn’t feeling well, my head hurt and I was just super overwhelmed and when the teacher asked me a question, tears came out. I was so stressed! Amara explained to me what it was in English which helped A LOT but the teacher got mad at her saying that I won’t ever learn if she spoke English to me. Um… to a point that’s true but I am at a kindergarten level of understanding Spanish how do I just jump into external debt? Whatevs. After that horrible class we had a reflection and then came home. It was nice to come home. Even though I have to speak Spanish at home it is stuff that I can talk about. AND when I came home from class, I had a conversation with them for 5 minutes!!! Like a real conversation, not just them asking me questions and me saying yes or no but me actually saying stuff. I don’t know if it made any sense but we did it and during dinner we were laughing and talking…. It was so much fun!

Okay so this is my family: Mi mama, Rosa Maria, is just so cute. I can’t get over it! She works in the home and teaches a dance class on Saturdays with kids for an hour. (I want to go and learn how to dance! It would be so much fun and I would def. be the oldest one there!) I was watching her fix my breakfast today and she was just so happy and cute in her apron and slippers with her towel on her head. She is more than I could ask for. And they are sooo patient with me and help me out so much. It’s wonderful. Susana is my younger sister and she is 16. She has been helping me a lot and she is friends with some other girls that are hosting some of my friends from Borderlinks so we get to all hang out. Marisela is my older sister and is getting married in November! She is really great too. She and I have this thing where we teach each other words in English and Spanish. She helps me with Spanish and I help her with English. It’s fun and very helpful. My papa, Roberto, works in a Maquiladora and works in the stockroom and seems to be doing well economically.

My family is in the middle class. Their house is a good size. One story, 3 rooms, 2 bathrooms, running water, 3 TVs, a large patio with vegetables and fruit trees, a big open kitchen attached to the living room, tile floors and pluming. I didn’t expect this. I thought we would be going into homes like I stayed in a month ago. This is also how some people live on the border so I’m not missing the point just seeing a different point.

On Saturday, I think my family and 2 others are going to go to give out food to some of the migrants crossing. That will be cool. This morning going to La Casa de Misericordia, Lupita (Shannon’s mom) had Amara stop the car so she could give out food to some migrants. Our house is right on the border. You can see it from my patio and it is just part of the landscape here. Amazing that it can blend it but somehow I didn’t see it until Susana pointed it out to me. Haley said that she saw some migrants just hopping over the fence yesterday. I didn’t think they would try to cross here b/c of all of the lights and how it is guarded heavily but she said that there were a lot trying to cross. We think that b/c it was snowing and overcast that they might have been able to get past the cameras but Anne said that they were catching and sending them back over when she and Jenni were handing out food. They also said that they had no coats on and it was freezing yesterday. I can’t even imagine what they were feeling.

All in all I really like it down here. I wish we were staying longer but oh well. I guess I will just have to come and visit. I told my dad that I was only going to speak Spanish when I get home and I really want to. I want to be able to talk better and more. The more I learn the more I like this language and am kicking myself for being so stubborn during our “Spanish dinner Thursdays” at home when I was little. Oh Well, shoulda, coulda, woulda. Well, I should get going… the bed is calling my name. Buenos Noches.

Until Next time…

muy nerviosa...

Tomorrow I leave the Casa and move in with my family. I am getting really excited and really nervous. I wish we had more time with them instead of just 4 weeks but whatevs...

This week here at the casa has been good. We went out for Margarita's in el centro last night and yesterday we had a diologue with some students from the university here in Nogales and only spoke spanish, so that was good. We did this game where it was the Mexican students in a circle on the inside and the American students on the outside and we had to talk only in spanish with each other. I was surprized on how well I did. They understood me. :) For the most part...

Today we went to go see a womens jail. Most of the women there are there because of drugs or undocumented migration. It was really interesting. It is basically run by the inmates. The women there built a church together, some work as seamstresses, others work as cooks, some learn computer skills and english.. there is a lot of stuff they can do and learn so they can get jobs when they get out.

Well, I need to write a paper so I can get some sleep for tomorrow... the big day.. eek! Until next time friends...

Today's the day...

SO, today is the day. We leave at 4pm to travel down to Nogales, Mexico. The closer it gets the more nervous I am becoming, although I just want to get down there. I am looking forward to the experience and know that I am going to come back someone differnt. I am excited to take on that responsiblity. Man, I am growing up. haha... I was looking at Grad. Schools the other day and am ready to get on and grow up...but not too much.

This past week has been good. Less stressful and getting ready to leave. Haley, Anne, Tina, Aaron and I went over to Noritas house (my cousin) this weekend and spent an evening with them. That was a lot of fun. We have been so busy that we haven't been able to see each other. We went to the movies and had some dinner. Last night most of us went to The Grill before we left. That is where we go almost every weekend so it felt right to go there for our last night in Tucson before May. haha.. I know, we are nerds.

Update on BL drama... it is all fizzled out. Mainly because we are leaving and well there is no need for it anymore. It feels really nice not to have drama. Save the drama for yo mama. hehe... Anyways... I need to go finish packing the little stuff... next time will be in Nogales. :D Take care!

Until next time amigos...

Ready...

We leave for Mexico this coming Sunday, March 12, and we are all ready to go. This time in Tucson has been great, but it is def. time for a change in scenery. We will be staying in a Colonia with hosts families for only a month. I wish we were down there longer but alas we aren't. Usually they have to spread us out within different Colonias however, this year we are all in the same one, so that will be good. We will have our space and time apart but still be close enough to feel more confident, at least for me. I am getting really excited but also really nervous. We wrote letters to our families and I asked them to help me out and bear with me as I struggle.

The work load is still very intense however, this week I have seemed to get a handle on it, just when we are about to leave and get a whole new schedule. Ah... well. Just my luck. Im Mexico, we will still have a full plate but more with interaction and expeirience instead of book work. I am looking forward to it. I hope to come back and be able to hold a conversation all in spanish and know what we are saying. I told my dad that I am only going to talk to him en espanol once I get back... he responded esta bien (kensey! haha) and said that he should refresh his memory... we shall see how long it lasts... I hope a long while.

Update on the Coffee Revolution... we have 2 staff members on our side and it is a slow and steady race. Anne is in a better mood now... not as scared and def. not as cranky (she has her coffee now)

Well, I must be off.. HISTORY OF MEXICO time. Until next time...

BLinks Drama

So... it has been about a month living, going to class, eatting and hanging out with the same people so naturally there will be some drama. The need to get out of the BLinks house is always there but the mound of homework is always looming.

There is going to be a revolution soon. We were notified just last night that we, the semester students, drink too much coffee. And now we are cut off, with no disscussion. This will not be had by us. We don't drink all of the coffee. For example, just this morning we made a pot of OUR coffee that we just bought and 3:2 of staff to students drank the coffee. That's right. We were lesser. (Side note:NowAnne is now scared and cranky. All she wants is coffee and shopping.)

Well, lunch is calling and we shall see how the Sharks and the Jets deal with this... Until next time friends...

These people are making sure our country is safe...

While coming back from Cananea for a field trip we were stopped at a check point. The "officer" looked at Amara and walked the length of the white whale then asked Amara, "Is this a group thing?" Yea... about that... maybe he should take the test again.